Ofsted: Requires improvement trending_up Places Available emoji_events #18 in Wirral public Top 44% UK

St Mary's Catholic College, A Voluntary Academy

verifiedData: DfE 2024/25–2025/26 · Ofsted

personMr Kevin Maddocks

corporate_fareHOLY FAMILY CATHOLIC MULTI ACADEMY TRUST

location_onWallasey, CH45 3LN

language Visit Website phone 1516397531

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Ofsted

Requires improvement

Inspected 2023

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Students

1,098

trending_up

Attainment 8

33.2

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GCSE Rank

#18 in Wirral

#3,102 of 3,216 nationally

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St Mary's Catholic College, A Voluntary Academy is a Academy sponsor led secondary school in Wallasey, serving ages 11-18. Currently Requires Improvement according to Ofsted — the school is working to raise standards.

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School Summary

St Mary's Catholic College, A Voluntary Academy is an academy sponsor led in Wallasey, Wirral, admitting pupils aged 11-18. It has a sixth form offering post-16 education. It is part of HOLY FAMILY CATHOLIC MULTI ACADEMY TRUST. The school has approximately 1,124 pupils on roll, of whom 48% are eligible for free school meals.

In 2025, pupils achieved an Attainment 8 score of 33.2, placing the school #18 in Wirral and #3,102 of 3,216 nationally. 17.20% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in English and Maths. 6.2% of all GCSE entries were graded 9–7.

The sixth form offers 14 A-level subjects. 11.6% of A-level entries were graded A*–B, with 4.7% at A*–A. A-level value added: -0.07 — sixth-form progress was broadly average.

Ofsted last inspected the school in 2023. The school's current overall rating is Requires improvement. Inspectors assessed quality of education as Requires improvement, behaviour and attitudes Good, personal development Good, and leadership and management Requires improvement.

In the most recent admissions cycle, applications were at 0.9× capacity.

The pupil-to-qualified-teacher ratio is 15.4:1. There are no current teaching vacancies.

In the 2024/25 academic year, there were 2 permanent exclusions. The average suspension rate was 17.9 per 1,000 pupils per term.

verified Source: DfE 2024/25–2025/26 · Ofsted

Academic Performance

verified Data: UK Gov 2024/25

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Secondary Performance Trends (KS4)

2025

Progress 8 Score

Attainment 8

33.2

Grade 5+ E&M

17.20%

Grade 9–7 (all GCSEs)6.2%

Entering EBacc17.20%

EBacc APS2.55

2024

Progress 8 Score

-0.99

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

29.3

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc31.40%

EBacc APS2.37

2023

Progress 8 Score

-0.82

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

32.8

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc46%

EBacc APS2.64

2022

Progress 8 Score

-0.64

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

34.8

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc57%

EBacc APS2.77

2021

Progress 8 Score

Attainment 8

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc72%

EBacc APS-

2019

Progress 8 Score

-0.33

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

40.5

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc47%

EBacc APS3.13

2018

Progress 8 Score

-0.46

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc19%

EBacc APS3.01

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Student Destinations (After Secondary)

This module shows what students did after finishing Key Stage 4 (GCSEs). It reflects how well the school prepares pupils for the real world.

2025

Stayed in Education / Employment

86%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)77%

Apprenticeships6%

Employment2%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)11%

2024

Stayed in Education / Employment

86%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)81%

Apprenticeships1%

Employment4%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)14%

2023

Stayed in Education / Employment

90%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)81%

Apprenticeships3%

Employment6%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)9%

2022

Stayed in Education / Employment

90%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)81%

Apprenticeships2%

Employment7%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)9%

2021

Stayed in Education / Employment

93%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)87%

Apprenticeships3%

Employment2%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)7%

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Sixth Form (A-Level) Performance

A-level results for students who stayed in sixth form at this school. Value added measures how much progress students made relative to their GCSE starting point.

2025

A-Level Value Added

-0.07

vs expected from GCSEs

Pupils make broadly expected progress at A-level.

Avg Grade

D+

Students

Grade Breakdown

Achieving A*4.7%

Achieving A*–A4.7%

Achieving A*–B11.6%

VA Banding Average

Retention rate72.7%

A-level subjects offered14

2024

A-Level Value Added

-0.44

vs expected from GCSEs

Pupils make below-expected progress at A-level.

Avg Grade

C-

Students

Retention rate100.00%

2023

Avg Grade

Students

Retention rate100.00%

2022

Avg Grade

D+

Students

Retention rate90.9%

Source: DfE A Level and Other 16-18 Results

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Report Archive

25 June 2025

Inspection Report

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04 October 2023

Inspection Report

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08 October 2019

Inspection Report

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Inspection Report

Inspection History

4 Evaluations

2023-10-04

Requires Improvement S5 Reinspection Visit 1 EIF

Requires improvement

Education

Requires improvement

Behaviour

Good

Development

Good

Leadership

Requires improvement

2019-10-08

Academy First Section 5 EIF

Requires improvement

Education

Requires improvement

Behaviour

Requires improvement

Development

Good

Leadership

Good

2014-09-30

Requires Improvement S5 Reinspection Visit 1 EIF

Requires improvement

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Requires improvement

2012-10-03

None Legacy

Requires improvement

Education

Requires improvement

Behaviour

Development

Leadership

Good

history Predecessor Link

Wellbeing, SEN & Pastoral Care

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Behaviour & Discipline (Suspensions & Exclusions)

Official Department for Education (DfE) data. Suspensions measure temporary removals due to behavior, while exclusions represent permanent removals.

Suspension Rate

16.2%per term

warning Above Average

National average: 7.3% for this term (secondary).

Pupils Suspended 1+ Times

8.9%(100 pupils)

Spring term 2025

Represents the proportion of unique students suspended at least once in this term.

Permanent Exclusions

0pupils

verified Excellent (Zero)

National average: 7.398% of pupils excluded per term.

Pastoral Context: In the Spring term of 2025, this school served a headcount of 1,124 pupils. During this period, there were 182 temporary suspensions. The school's suspension rate was 16.2%, which is above the termly national average of 7.3%.

View Historical Disciplinary Records (2017–2025)keyboard_arrow_down

Year / Term	Headcount	Suspensions	Susp. Rate	Nat. Avg	Perm. Excl.
2024/25 (Spring term)	1,124	182	16.2%	7.3%	0
2024/25 (Autumn term)	1,146	224	19.5%	7.8%	2
2023/24 (Summer term)	1,117	93	8.3%	7.4%	0
2023/24 (Spring term)	1,122	116	10.3%	7.1%	0
2023/24 (Autumn term)	1,127	114	10.1%	8.2%	0
2022/23 (Summer term)	1,090	40	3.7%	6.6%	0
2022/23 (Spring term)	1,098	44	4.0%	6.4%	0
2022/23 (Autumn term)	1,094	71	6.5%	5.9%	0
2021/22 (Summer term)	1,048	23	2.2%	4.7%	0
2021/22 (Spring term)	1,046	34	3.3%	4.9%	0
2021/22 (Autumn term)	1,048	38	3.6%	4.4%	0
2020/21 (Summer term)	1,080	58	5.4%	3.6%	1
2020/21 (Spring term)	1,088	4	0.4%	1.0%	0
2020/21 (Autumn term)	1,106	91	8.2%	3.9%	0
2019/20 (Summer term)	1,077	0	0.0%	0.0%	0
2019/20 (Spring term)	1,077	62	5.8%	3.2%	0
2019/20 (Autumn term)	1,089	118	10.8%	4.2%	1
2018/19 (Summer term)	1,196	81	6.8%	3.1%	1
2018/19 (Spring term)	1,210	143	11.8%	3.8%	2
2018/19 (Autumn term)	1,235	121	9.8%	3.8%	4
2017/18 (Summer term)	1,300	87	6.7%	3.4%	1
2017/18 (Spring term)	1,309	88	6.7%	3.0%	0
2017/18 (Autumn term)	1,321	40	3.0%	3.7%	2
2016/17 (Summer term)	1,404	121	8.6%	3.0%	3
2016/17 (Spring term)	1,411	161	11.4%	3.3%	3
2016/17 (Autumn term)	0	77	-	3.1%	0

Source: DfE Suspensions and Permanent Exclusions in England. Data represents termly statistics as published by the Department for Education.

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Supported Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Primary areas of need currently supported by the school. A high number often indicates specialized internal units or high staff experience in these areas.

Social, Emotional & Mental Health 115 pupils

Autistic Spectrum Disorder 43 pupils

Specific Learning Difficulty 37 pupils

Speech, Language & Communication 27 pupils

Moderate Learning Difficulty 17 pupils

Hearing Impairment 5 pupils

Physical Disability 4 pupils

Other Difficulty/Disability 3 pupils

Severe Learning Difficulty 1 pupils